


Where I Want to Be

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M, Fluff With No Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 07:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15286932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: @pillarspromptsweekly #47: Roll for It. I got Edér, a farm, and exhaustion, so obviously I used it as an excuse to write established relationship Ederity. :D





	Where I Want to Be

**Author's Note:**

> @pillarspromptsweekly #47: Roll for It. I got Edér, a farm, and exhaustion, so obviously I used it as an excuse to write established relationship Ederity. :D

 

The sun was just starting to sink as Edér finally reached Charity’s house, and he couldn’t help but wince. He’d meant to get here by mid-afternoon at the latest, help her with clearing and planting a couple of her gardens. But the mayor stuff today had been just one thing after another, and before he knew it, it was early evening as he waved farewell to the last of the villagers who’d wanted to talk to him.

It wasn’t so much worry over Charity’s reaction--she’d repeatedly made it clear she didn’t want him skimping on his mayoral duties to spend time with her. That was his job, and during its set portion of the day, it needed to come first. But Edér had been looking forward to spending most of the day with _her_ , and losing out on that because Gjyra wanted to complain about Soren’s out of control mulberry bushes(again) was more than a little disappointing. He was here now, however, and there were still a few hours left in the day. It was something.

From what he could see as he made his way to the door, Charity had gotten a lot done. It didn’t surprise him; she was one of the hardest workers he knew. He knocked on the door, frowned slightly when there was no response, and tried again. “Charity?”

Still nothing. Knowing she left the door unlocked whenever she was home, Edér turned the knob. It opened without resistance and he shook his head as he stepped inside. _I gotta talk to her about that..._  “Chari-” _Oh._

His worried frown turned to a fond smile when he saw why Charity hadn’t answered the door. She was asleep on the sofa. It clearly wasn’t something planned, judging by the mug of tea resting precariously on her knee and tipping ever-closer to disaster. Biting back a chuckle, Edér crossed the room in two swift strides and deftly rescued the mug from her loose grip. Charity barely stirred as he took it, and he couldn’t resist brushing a kiss against her forehead.

It looked like she’d sat down with her tea to wait wait for him and nodded off. Wasn’t hard to figure out _why_ , either; Edér could see the mud caked on her boots and dirt and grass stains that streaked her clothes. Charity had worked hard all day and was beat. ‘Course, the warm, snuggly calico curled up in her lap probably hadn’t helped her stay awake, either. Sparrow mewed at him and Edér smiled as he reached to pet her.

Judging by how warm the tea was, Charity hadn’t drifted off that long ago, which meant se’d likely be out for a while. After paying due attention to Sparrow, Edér straightened and carried Charity’s boots over to the entry vestibule. He pulled his off, too, so he could move quieter, and then grabbed one of the extra blankets from her spare room.

Sparrow caught on to what he was doing, and moved long enough for him to drape the lightweight blanket over Charity before settling back into her spot. Charity shifted as the cat got comfortable, mumbling in her sleep and flinging one arm up next to her head. 

Edér smiled affectionately and watched her sleep for a minute. _You’re so blazin’ cute._ He rolled his eyes. _An’ I’m so blazin’ smitten._ He may have been too late to help with the gardens, but there was something he could do to help, something he was indisputably better at than she was.

Humming a nonsense tune under his breath, Edér headed for the kitchen 

***

For a minute as she slid toward wakefulness, Charity thought she was still dreaming. What other explanation was there for the positively _divine_ aroma filling the air? But then the low clatter of someone trying to cook _quietly_ reached her and she remembered.

 _Edér was coming over._ With that thought, she shot awake. They’d already missed a good chunk of the day, who knew how much more had potentially wasted because she couldn’t keep her eyes open for five damn minutes.

Sur enough, as she rubbed sleep from her eyes and stretched, she could see Edér in her kitchen. His back was to her, sleeves rolled up, as he worked on whatever he was cooking. Occasionally he would turn and murmur something with a smile to Sparrow, who was perched on the pass-through between kitchen and dining room, tail twitching around her paws.

Charity smiled lazily as she watched. _My cat likes you almost as much as I do._ She yawned and went to brush hair back from her face. That was when she noticed her bun had loosened and migrated downwards, the remaining pathetic knot hanging against the nape of her neck. She was still debating whether to fix it when Edér turned and saw she was awake. _Gods,_ she wished she could bottle that smile and use it to brighten rainy days.

“Good timin’ sleepyhead,” Edér winked. He grabbed a rag and swung the bubbling stewpot away from the fire. “Just finished cookin’.”

“Whatever it is smells delicious,” Charity said, pushing aside the blanket. Her hair started to slide forward when she moved to sit upright, and she huffed softly in exasperation as she made up her mind and tugged loose the wrecked bun.  “And I’m starving.”

Edér chuckled. “Figured that would be the case. Looks like you worked hard.”

Charity nodded as she gathered her hair in a loose, low ponytail. “Been fightin’ weeds an’ tree roots all by my lonesome all day.”

He shot her a sheepish look. “Sorry. I meant to come help, but-”

She shook her head. “Not what I was insinuatin’, sweetheart. Mayor stuff comes first. I’m just tired, ‘cause there were dozen of weeds but only one me.”

“Looks like y’ still won, though,” Edér said, grinning, as he ladled out two bowl of stew and joined her on the couch.

Charity smirked. “That I did.” She kissed him on the cheek as she accepted the bowl of stew. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, darlin’“ He obligingly shifted a bit further away when Sparrow hopped up between them. “I think we have a chaperone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Nah, I just have a beggar for a cat.” She scooped Sparrow up with her free hand, scooched closer to Edér, and deposited the calico on the arm of the couch. “There.”

Sparrow let out a decidedly grumpy _mroawww_ and jumped up to stalk along the back of the couch.

“So. My day was exhausting, how was yours?” Charity asked as she blew on her food to cool it.

“Also exhaustin’, just for different reasons,” Edér chuckled. “There are time I swear the people in this village make up problems if they ain’t got any sometimes.”

“Well, I mean, I’d make up excuses t’ come talk to you,” she said with a wink.

“Yeah, but we’re courtin’, that’s different. ‘sides, you don’t hafta make stuff up to spend time with me.”

“I know. Just sayin’ I understand why someone would make something up for a chance to talk t’ you.” She grinned mischievously, which turned into a quiet groan of pleasure as she took her first bite. “Mmm, ‘course, none of ‘em are ever gonna see you again, on account of me lockin’ you up here to cook for me forever. Gods, this is good.”

Edér laughed. “Glad you approve. I did what I could spur of the moment.”

“If this is what you can pull off spur of the moment, no wonder Tavi was grumpy at you for holdin’ out on her.” Whatever he’d put in it reminded her of her mother’s stew, just a little. Something in the seasonings. _Or maybe I’m just still tired..._

“Well, thank you,” Edér said with a smile. “But it’s more a compliment to how well your kitchen’s stocked than my cookin’ skills.” He winked. “Not that I’m opposed to takin’ a compliment from a pretty gal when she offers.”

Charity blushed so hard at that she forgot to check her next bite had cooled and burned the roof of her mouth. She grimaced but swallowed it anyway, groping for her long-cooled tea to wash it down. “And thank you right back for that,” she finally managed.

“Y’ alright?” He raised an eyebrow in concern.

She nooded. “Hotter’n I expected. I’ll just have to be more careful’s all.”

“Mm.” Twinkle in his eye, Edér leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth.

It was Charity’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “What was that for?”

“Kissin’ it better,” he said matter of factly. “Why, wrong spot?”

“Close enough.” She grinned as she scooped up another bite, careful to blow on this one enough before eating it. “So, anything from your day we can talk about, or is it all private? ‘Cause in that case we can talk about _my_ day.”

“I wanna hear about your day anyway,” Edér informed her around a mouthful of stew. “But there are actually a couple things I can share...”

***

They spent the next hour or so talking and laughing as they ate, occasionally pausing to pet Sparrow when she got tired of being ignored and made a fuss. Finally, though, after two helpings each and several shared stories, Edér collected their bowls and carried them into the kitchen. He waved off Charity’s offers to help and protests that he shouldn’t do all the work, it was her kitchen.

“I’m the one who cooked, so it’s my mess an’ only fair I clean up,” he argued. “You stay right there.”

“Well, I’m not gonna argue when a handsome fella tells me to relax,” Charity winked, scratching under Sparrow’s chin when the cat settled in her lap again.

Edér laughed and hurried through cleaning up so he could rejoin her on the sofa. “Now that that’s out of the way...” He tugged her closer. “C’mere.”

“You might not wanna do that,” Charity said with a wry laugh, half-heartedly resisting him. “I’m still pretty beat, so if you get me too comfortable, I _will_ fall asleep.”

“I can think of worse places to be trapped,” Edér countered, grinning. “I’ll risk it.”

“Alright, hope you don’t have anything mayor-y and important first thing in the morning,” she giggled as she relented and let him pull her close.

“Not a blazin’ one,” he promised, kissing her temple as they got settled.

“Well, then...” Charity reached for the blanket that had fallen on the floor. She dropped it on the far end of the couch, barely covering their feet, and winked. “Just in case.”

It proved to be a good precaution. She started drifting off again within five minutes of them getting settled.

Edér chuckled as he felt her relax, laying heavier on top of him, and kissed the top of her head. “Night, Char.”

Charity mumbled something unintelligible and snuggled further in. Just as she’d warned, he was trapped now. Edér smiled to himself and rubbed her back as he felt his own weariness finally catch him. _No place I’d rather be..._


End file.
